The Angel of Torment
by Deidara the Arrancar Alchemist
Summary: The arrival of a mysterious girl ignites a series of dark events that will throw Grubbs into a world of terrible curses, chilling secrets, nightmarish realms, a twisted plot, vengeance and betrayal. Who can fight the monster that lurks beneath the flesh?
1. The visitor

_Here is a story that popped into my head out of nowhere two days ago, and now I'm writing it down! I hope you all enjoy it, and be sure to review and stuff! ^^ Please note that this is set just after book 3, Slawter, perhaps a few months. Therefore, Grubbs doesn't yet know he is becoming a Werewolf._

THE VISITOR

Carcery Vale was bathed in cold moonlight that radiated from a bloated, silver full moon. The sky was as black as pitch-filled cauldron, bubbling and writhing as clouds glided like ghosts across the surface. The mansion's smooth rock almost seemed to shine ethereally in the moonlight as the time read half an hour till midnight.

Grubbs Grady tossed and turned in his sleep, unable to fall into slumber. Dark dreams haunted his mind, the events from his family's murder to the massacre at Slawter refusing to leave his head. And on top of this, shadows shaped like wolves had been stalking the corners of his subconscious mind for the last few days, and anxiety gnawed at Grubbs as he contemplated telling Dervish.

With an angry sigh that Grubbs thought sounded far too much like a growl, he leapt out of bed and crossed to the window. He pressed his face against the cool glass, banging his head to clear away the disturbing images. _Why can't they just leave me alone? _he moaned to himself.

It was then that something caught his eye. A shadow flitted through the trees below.

Grubbs snapped into action, peering through the gloom. The shadow appeared to be a human shaped figure, but it could have been a demon in disguise. Grubbs tried to see anything out of the ordinary about the figure, but it seemed perfectly normal. Nevertheless, someone was sneaking around, and Grubbs decided to go check it out. He quickly pulled on a t shirt and trousers, as well as some socks and a hoodie.

He tiptoed down the picture-lined corridor as quietly as a giant, bulky teenager could, taking care as he passed Dervish's room. He could hear faint snoring from the other side of the door: a good sign. Dervish was having a peaceful sleep for once, and he didn't want to wake him up for something that could just be an illusion.

As he came to the large front door, a sudden wave of energy slammed into his face. He felt the warm magic seep into his pores, and he tensed, ready to launch himself at the demons.

Then, nothing.

The magic disappeared as quickly as it had come. Grubbs was confused and a little frightened. Something powerful was out there, perhaps a gate had opened and shut swiftly, or there was a demon that could hide its magic. Grubbs gritted his teeth as he turned the doorknob, knowing that if the magical source reappeared, he'd have to be quick to attack.

He twisted the handle, and the door slammed outwards.

Cold air hit his face, but there was no claws raking his skin, no flesh burned away by acid. But there was someone standing before him.

"Hello!" greeted a cheery voice.

"Erm, hi" answered Grubbs. He stood facing a girl of about his age, almost as tall as him, but very slender and willowy. From what he could make out in the gloom, he could tell she was quite pretty, with crimson coloured hair and deep green eyes with an impish glint. Her skin was as pale as milk and spattered with freckles. A warm smile played on her lips, sharp, white teeth twinkling in the moonlight. She seemed harmless enough, but Grubbs felt in his gut that this girl was not to be trusted.

"Who are you?" Grubbs demanded, perhaps a little too harshly.

"Is this the welcome I get?" said the girl, sounding hurt. "I've been searching for you for almost all my life and spent hours travelling here to meet you, and the first few words you say are mean. Typical boy."

"Ok, I'm sorry," Grubbs sighed. "I was just a little surprised, that's all. What's your name? I've never seen you before."

"My name is Merlin" the red-haired girl replied. _Weird name _thought Grubbs. "And you must be Grubbs Grady."

"Yeah. What brings you here?"

Merlin grinned roguishly, and Grubbs couldn't prevent a slight shiver crawl down his spine. "I have a big surprise for you, Grubbsy. Guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm your twin."

_Yay! Chapter one done! Hope you liked the cliff hanger!_


	2. The past

_Another chapter for all you Demonata fans! Hope you've all enjoyed it so far, and I hope that you'll like the next couple of chapters too. My apologies if I don't update this story for a long time, because I am currently writing four other stories all at once. _

THE PAST

Grubbs was frozen with absolute shock. This one emotion numbed his entire body, crushed his mind with cold hands. His heart ceased to beat for the ten, long seconds that he stood stunned, before rapidly speeding up and pounding against his ribs like a hammer as a trillion questions fought inside his head for attention.

How was this possible? Why had his family not told him? Did Dervish know? Why was she here? What did she want? The list went on.

A sudden warmth caressed his grief-hardened heart, and it took Grubbs a while to work out the emotion he was feeling. I turned out to be a mixture: relief, amazement, belonging, slight fear, and most odd of all, love. Love for a stranger that could be a lying demon in disguise.

Fighting the tears that stung his eyes and resisting the urge to throw his arms around the girl, he croaked "My twin?"

"Yes," she relied with a vigorous nod. "Do you speak English? Know what a twin is?"

"Yes, but…" Grubbs sighed and answered softly. "I thought I was alone."

"So did I," murmured Merlin, smiling sadly. "But now, we have each other."

Grubbs had lost his mother, father, and sister, all brutally murdered by the living nightmare that was Lord Loss. He had nearly lost his mind to the horrors he saw in that blood soaked and web engulfed room, but thanks to Dervish, he regained his sanity. And then he discovered he had a half-brother, Bill-E Spleen, who, even though at times it didn't show, loved more than anything. He was not alone, now that he had Dervish and Bill-E, but nothing was closer than a twin. Now there was a shred of his old life sewn back into his heart.

"Wait, how do I know that you're my sister?" frowned Grubbs. "You could be lying."

"So distrusting!" cried Merlin. She sighed deeply. "I'll tell you the truth, but it's a long story."

"Come inside" said Grubbs, standing out of the way of the door. With a smile, Merlin walked over the threshold and Grubbs closed the door behind her. For some reason, Grubbs felt a shiver run down his spine, as if closing the door was a big mistake. He ignored the warning in his head though, far too concerned with the appearance of a long lost twin.

Grubbs led her to the lunge and flicked on a few lights, the soft yellow glow creating an air of intimacy and sanctuary. As Merlin sat on the huge sofa, she gazed around in slight awe at the house's massiveness and lavish furniture. "Nice place, you have here" she commented.

"Yeah, my uncle owns it."

"Our uncle" said Merlin softly, though by her tone it seemed like she was correcting him.

"Let's hear your story" Grubbs said impatiently.

The girl took a deep breathe, and let it out slowly. She fiddled with a strand of flaming hair as she told her tale:

"Mum and Dad were overjoyed when they found out they were expecting twins. Or at least, that's probably what they felt. Till one day, when Mum was 8 months pregnant, a mysterious stranger appeared at the door and told them that if they kept both twins, they would be subject to a terrible curse, a curse other than the Grady's lycanthropy. Of course, one curse was enough to live with, and they already feared for Gret becoming inflicted. But they would never separate us, not ever. The stranger left without a word.

"A few weeks later, Mum gave birth to both of us. They called you Grubitsch, and they called me Merlin, after the bird of prey, not the magician. Everything seemed happy for the time being, and Mum and Dad thought that the curse they were threatened with was nothing but a cruel hoax.

"However, that night, when everyone was asleep, someone sneaked into the hospital and stole me. They took me far, far away, and left me in a realm of horrors."

"The Demonata…" murmured Grubbs without realizing. He clapped a hand around his mouth as if to prevent the words from being heard, but Merlin just smiled sorrowfully and answered "Yes Grubbs. I know about your battles with that hellish race, and of the traumas you've lived with."

She took another deep breathe and continued. "They left me in their realm, a newborn baby, completely defenseless and a quick snack to any passing Demons. I would have been killed if it hadn't been for the mysterious stranger. He took me back to earth though a window and raised me as his own child. He told me he was a Disciple and explained to me what had happened to me as a baby. He said that he had come to Mum and Dad not to threaten them, but to warn them. Warn them against the person that took me away from my family. But he also came to warn them against… against…"

"Yes?" pressed Grubbs.

"To warn them against me," Merlin sobbed all of a sudden. Her shoulders shook wildly as she whispered the last words. "Grubbs, I'm not a human."

_Aha! Another cliff hanger! Hope you enjoyed it for now folks! Please give me any criticisms if the Merlin's story sounds a bit crappy, and please review if you liked it. ^^_


	3. The uncle

_Here's another chapter, guys and girls! Sorry to leave you on a cliff hanger, but chapter 3 is up, so read on!_

THE UNCLE

"What?" whispered Grubbs aghast as the girl beside him wiped tears away from her jade-coloured eyes. First, Merlin had told him she was his twin sister, and now she was telling him that she wasn't a human. It didn't make any sense!

"It makes no sense!" cried Grubbs, backing away slightly from Merlin, just in case she decided to attack him. If Grubbs squinted his eyes a little, he could see that her shadow constantly shifted from human to wild, animalistic shapes that writhed like dark serpents. He shuddered as the girl turned to face him.

"I know," she said, her words barely audible. "At first, I refused to believe what my guardian told me. I denied it again and again, even ran away. But he found me and was compassionate." She paused, eyes glistening. "I've always known I wasn't normal, but not human…"

"Please explain" said Grubbs stiffly, wanting to comfort the shaken girl beside him, yet not wanting to get too close to her, trying to tap into any specks of magic in the air. He was confused: it wasn't possible for two human parents to give birth to an inhuman child. Perhaps if one of the parents was not a human, but that didn't make any sense because he was human. Or was he? There was always the opportunity for him to become a Werewolf, to change into a slavering, fierce beast. And he did possess strong magical powers, but so did other people who were completely normal. The more he pondered the enigma, the more muddled everything became. The story was as clear as mud.

Merlin sighed in deeply, and perhaps Grubbs was just being paranoid, but her breathe sounded slightly ragged and sinister.

"You know of the Grady curse, yes?" she clarified. "There is more than one curse that can inflict a human. There are about a dozen, the Grady curse just one them, and probably the most common, even though it only affects one ancestry of people. All of these curses came about when humans and Demons interbred, at the dawn of the human race.

"I…I am inflicted with one such curse, but not the Grady's. It appears randomly in one person every decade, and most… victims barely live past their first year, as they are killed by their parents or accidently by themselves. Under my guardian's care, I have managed to gain some control of the curse, but it is still as unpredictable as ever."

"Look, I don't want to rush you," interrupted Grubbs, hoping he wasn't being too rude. "But, can you just tell me what you are. Or… or show me if you can."

Merlin hesitated, her eyes on the floor. "If I showed you, just for a few moments, would you be convinced?"

"I guess I would" replied the boy with a shrug.

Merlin slowly rose to her feet, shaking slightly. Grubbs backed away from her further still, anxious and a little scared.

A light switched on, momentarily blinding the pair. They covered their eyes against the sudden luminescence, and Grubbs started when he heard a familiar, gruff voice remark "Whose hiding in the dark? A couple of Demons?"

"Dervish?" said Grubbs. His grey-haired uncle stood in the archway, his face unreadable but his widened, piercing eyes betraying his surprise. Grubbs turned to Merlin and saw her standing in the middle of the room, mouth opened slightly in shock, blinking like an owl.

"I can explain" said Grubbs with a sigh, running a hand through his dark auburn hair.

"Please do," said Dervish, casting a shrewd, slightly amused eye over Merlin who hastily sat down again. Grubbs wondered if he'd guessed who the girl was. Did he and Merlin really look that alike?

"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" asked his uncle sitting on the sofa in between the boy and girl. Grubbs thought he was going to put his arms around both their shoulders, but he didn't.

"My name is Merlin" Merlin answered hesitantly.

"Aha!" exclaimed Dervish, making the girl jump a little. "Decided to show up, have you my dear? Well, it's good to have the family reunited again. How did you find us?"

"Well," replied the girl with a roguish smile, taking a liking to the man instantly. "It took a very long time, about a year actually. My guardian eventually managed to track down your house through a number of contacts he had. So, I left as soon as I could, and now I'm here."

Dervish looked at her again, his pale blue eyes as sharp as a needle but a warm smile on his lips. "I missed you." He stood up and stretched before saying "Well, seeing that it's likely that you're staying here, let's go upstairs and you can pick a bedroom. I'll give you tour tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Yeah" replied Merlin.

Dervish gave Grubbs a vague wink, and walked on ahead, switching off the lounge light as he did so.

"I'll show you some other time" whispered Merlin to Grubbs.

"Coolio" answered Grubbs to Merlin, a little uncertainly.

After Merlin had chosen a bedroom for the night, Grubbs returned to his own, and spent the remainder of the night contemplating what on earth was going to happen tomorrow. He lay in his bed in silent, tense anticipation, as still as stone until the first rays of dawn danced upon his windowsill.

_That's all for now! _


	4. The study

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Demonata series or any of its characters, except Merlin, she's MINE! Anyway, on with the story. Apologies if my description of Dervish's study is a little incorrect. _

THE STUDY

Grubbs rolled out of bed and rubbed his acing eyes. He went to his window and opened it, smelling the fresh, crisp breeze that tickled his nose. He smiled slightly as he felt warm sunshine caress his face, chase away the fear that gnawed at his mind. He closed his eyes and sighed, but then quickly snapped them open again as he remembered last night's events.

A girl. Merlin. His twin sister. His _non_-human twin sister. Was it all a dream? Some fantasy his mind had created in order to get over the murder of his family? Had he gone mad again?

Then, voices. Floating in from downstairs. The voices were accompanied by the delicious smell of frying bacon and eggs. Dervish was cooking breakfast, as always, but it appeared he was having a chat with someone. The other voice was feminine and young and friendly.

So it was true. He did have a twin sister.

He got dressed and scurried downstairs, almost tripping down the stairs in his haste to confirm what he already knew. He passed the frozen portraits and his Uncle's study, reaching the ground floor and finally stumbling into the kitchen.

He stood motionless was for a long time, staring at the sight before him. It was a normal scene: Dervish was serving up breakfast onto fine white plates, smile on his face, and Merlin was sitting at the table, swinging her legs slightly and playing with a fiery lock of hair. Grubbs sighed, casting away any paranoia. But paranoia about what? Did he think Merlin had changed into a demon and eaten Dervish? He didn't answer the question in his head.

"Morning Grubbs," greeted Dervish. He frowned and said "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Merlin's forehead creased a little, in concern Grubbs guessed.

"It's nothing" he replied, shaking his head. He sat down opposite Merlin, and she smiled at him, her emerald eyes glinting. Grubbs smiled back, but it was a bit awkward. Part of him still couldn't believe his twin was sitting next to him, having breakfast with him on this sunny dawn.

"Hi Grubbsy" she said, trying to break the tension.

"Hi" he answered, fidgeting in his seat a little.

Dervish placed breakfast in front of him, and Grubbs resisted the urge to drool as the mouth watering scent enticed his senses. Dervish certainly made good breakfast!

Ashe got stuck in, Grubbs noticed that Merlin was looking at the bacon and eggs with an eager expression, but it was not exactly human hunger. It looked more like a lust for blood.

Merlin caught his eye, and instantly began eating, but her eyes remained on the floor, and she just nibbled the food as if she had all the time in the world to eat it. Grubbs realised that she was ashamed in some way, as well as embarrassed. But then again, Grubbs should be feeling the same. He was a hypocrite. Didn't he sometimes have a lust for devouring things other than food? He shuddered mentally, forcing out the wolfen images that clawed at his brain.

"Hey, Dervish, didn't you say you were going to take Merlin on a tour around the place?"

"Thanks for reminding me," answered Dervish a leaned against the kitchen cabinets. "Merlin?"

The girl got up with an excited twinkle in her eyes, and Grubbs got up too and followed behind, also a little excited even though he's gotten used to the house's massiveness and grandeur.

For the next half hour, Dervish took her all around the mansion, talking about its history and the dark tales of it's past. Sometimes Grubbs added in some useful input. When they came to the corridor of pictures, Merlin looked on sadly, and murmured "There are so many of them." Dervish and Grubbs nodded knowingly. Grubbs felt his eyes become a little moist when the trio passed the photos of his Dad and Gret.

"Now, this is my study" explained their uncle as they stood in front of the wooden door. "You must only enter here with my permission, is that understood?"

"It is" she answered. Grubbs thought he could detect a hint of worry in her tone, and it made him tense, just in case.

Grubbs could sense the protective enchantments being removed. Once the job was done, they all filed in.

The study was probably the nicest and most interesting of the mansion's rooms. Wooden panelled walls with all kinds of amazingly deadly weapons hanging from them; rows upon rows of books, many of them tattered with age and decay; and two desks with a type writer and a computer on them, among other things.

Merlin drank in every detail, mouth hanging open slightly. Grubbs remembered the same reaction when he first came in here. Dervish winked at Grubbs and said "Well, tour's over kids. Now, run along and go and do whatever teenagers do."

Grubbs motioned for Merlin to leave, but something was wrong. The girl was shaking slightly, her eyes bulging out of their sockets as if she was in pain. She bit her lips to prevent whatever noise was about to come out of her lips, and she closed her eyes in concentration.

Suddenly, her expression changed, as if nothing had happened. She took in a deep, shuddering breath and said rather shakily "OK then."

As both teenagers left the room, Dervish narrowed his eyes at the girl, as if trying to penetrate the surface layer of flesh. He sighed and grabbed hold of Grubb's collar, stopping him in his tracks.

"I know about the curse" he whispered in Grubbs' ear.

Grubbs stiffened slightly. "How?"

Dervish shook his head. "Another time. Now, out with ya."

_So! Whatcha think about this chapter? _


	5. The argument

_Here is another chapter for all you loyal readers! Oh yes ,please note that there are two swear words in the text below. This chapter is a little longer than the others, as will be the one after this, which will be uploaded REAL soon!_

THE ARGUMET

Grubbs heard the study door swing shut behind him, and felt the cold air from the slam tickling the nape of his neck. With a sigh, he went to say something to Merlin, but she had disappeared, as if a magician had cast a magic cloak over her. Frowning, he looked about her, fingers curling to form a fist automatically at the sensation of danger.

Silence could not even describe the numbness that suffocated the room with a boa constrictor. It was as if noise didn't even exist. Grubbs couldn't even hear his frantic heart that demanded attention as it thudded behind the skeletal cage of his ribs. His eyes searched for his sister, trying to penetrate the air she had vanished into.

"Looking for me?"

The calm was shattered as a surprised scream flew out of his mouth like a startled bird. His head snapped up and his mouth widened in shock and what was above him.

Merlin was clinging upside-down on the ceiling.

She gripped the ceiling with her hands and feet, her finger nails gripping the marble as if I were made of sponge. Her eyes sparkling with a wicked glint and sharp-toothed mouth wide in an enigmatic grin. Her flaming hair hung off her head like dripping blood as she cocked her head to one side, inquisitive. She seemed almost vampire-like, a bat roosting before twilight settles.

"What?" she said frowning.

"What…how…you-how did you get up there?" stammered Grubbs, still in shock.

She giggled softly. "A neat little trick I've been practicing."

Grubbs stared on in horrific curiosity as she let go of the ceiling and flipped down elegantly and so effortlessly it was if she bent the air to her will. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Grubbs felt white-hot fury suddenly course through his veins, and to his terror a hint of a wolfish snarl forming in his vocal cords. He grabbed Merlin and took her to one side, far from the study in case his uncle was eavesdropping.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Grubbs hissed.

"I beg your pardon?" she blinked.

"Hanging from the ceiling, that's what!" he answered, shaking her by the shoulders. "You think this is all some kind of a joke? Something to impress me with? Well, it's not!" Grubbs swallowed thickly. "Just tell me now, what are you? A demon? 'Cause if you are, then you don't belong here. My parents wouldn't want a demon in their family, not after they were murdered by them!"

"I most certainly am not a demon!" she said, his words like a wasp sting on her flesh. "How could you suggest that I belong to that pack of inbred scum!?" Her eyes became swollen and red as she choked out the next few sentences. "Do you think I enjoy being what I am? Don't you think I'd rather be a normal teenager, a human? I've spent every day of my life with this curse like a choker around my neck! My guardian told me either turn into a monster worse than the Demonata, or live with the curse and try and make the most of it. I chose the latter. But if my twin brother has a problem with that, what option is left?"

Realisation hit Grubbs like a vengeful slap across the face. What had he just said? He couldn't remember it, not a single word. It must have been pretty bad to make Merlin so distraught. Was his Werewolf ancestry catching up with him, pinning him down like prey and ripping out his organs till he was hollow. A boy on the outside, but a beast within.

"Merlin," Grubbs whispered, his voice raw with sympathy and the horror of his actions. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me. Merlin?"

"Just keep away from me!" Though her reply was barely audible, it shook with a dark rage. With a sob, she turned away from him and sprinted into her room, where she slammed the door behind her so hard that it shuddered on its hinges. Grubbs could hear her soft whimpers beyond the wood.

**

Several times throughout the course of the day, Grubbs tried to apologize. But each time he attempted it, he faltered before her bedroom door, his quivering hand millimetres from the wood it was about to knock. He would then sigh and walk off, trying to take his mind off things by doing other things. But he couldn't relax, not after what he had done.

At dinner time, Dervish had asked where Merlin was. Grubbs had glumly replied that he'd upset her. Dervish said nothing.

As the clock struck 10pm, Grubbs finally plucked up the courage to make amends for his sister. With a determined sigh, he collected his emotions and slowly turned the doorknob.

It was dark inside, the only light now coming from behind the open door. Grubbs could see her slender figure curled up on her bed, clutching a cushion tightly to her chest and facing the wall, her back to the door. She was so quiet, Grubbs thought she was asleep.

"Merlin?" he whispered.

No answer.

"I've come to apologize. I know I look like a total arsehole turning up hours later, but I just couldn't find the right words. I just felt so sick with myself. I feel-"

"Go away!" came a muffled sob.

Grubbs hesitated. "I didn't mean anything I said then. I would never say anything like that."

"But you did, didn't you?" Merlin said scathingly.

"I don't know what got into me!" said Grubbs, breaking up into mirror shards. "Recently I've been feeling all messed up and I'm having crazy nightmares, and I think the Grady curse has finally got me and I don't know what to do! I wish I hadn't said anything at all and now my own sister despises me and I really need you at the moment." Grubbs swallowed and gasped for air. "Please Merlin. I _need_ you. Please, _please _forgive me. If there is some way I can make it up to you, then I'll do anything you ask. Sister?"

There was a heartbeat of silence. "Grubbs…"

Grubbs took an anxious step forward.

Merlin sat up and faced him, wiping away the tears that had stained her cheeks. Grubbs couldn't help but wince at how her eyes reflected the light back, causing them to glow like twin fireflies. "I do forgive you. I understand your situation entirely, and I must apologize for my ignorant behaviour earlier. I don't know what I was thinking, trying to make you jump like that. Not after your past experiences. I feel so selfish."

"You shouldn't apologize for anything!" exclaimed Grubbs, sitting on the bed beside her. "After all, it was a pretty cool trick. How did you do that?"

Merlin smiled softly. "Well, let's just say that walls are no obstacle for me. I can climb up them, hang from them, destroy them if I wish. Without effort."

"You sound…formidable."

"Thanks. But that's just the tip of the iceberg of what I can do. You should see me in my true form. I can do things easier that way. Hey, I did promise to show you, right?"

"Yeah…" said Grubbs nervously. "But, your not going to eat me or anything? You have full control of my actions?"

"Course I do!" answered Merlin. "I wouldn't even suggest showing you if it was that risky. Ready?"

Grubbs nodded stiffly, a bead of sweat trickling down his back.

"Be warned. Might be a little…scary."

She closed her eyes in concentration, standing as still as a statue.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she darted for the door. She poked her head around, her shoulders tense.

Startled, Grubbs crept to her side. "What is it?" he whispered.

"A window has just opened downstairs."


	6. The attack

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Demonata or the original characters, but I own Merlin, this story's events and the demons within it. Please be warned that this is when the action REALLY starts, and by action, I mean a lot of blood and mayhem, and a little revelation you've all been waiting for (hopefully) with anticipation. Enjoy! Mwahaha!_

THE ATTACK

Merlin opened the door a fraction and peered out, sniffing the air like an anxious animal, an animal that is being stalked by a predator of the night.

"Dervish…" murmured Grubbs nervously. Had his uncle registered the sudden flow of magical energy that filtered through the mansion, twisting and curling on invisible currents? The hairs on Grubb's back stood on end as it seeped though his bloodstream.

"Already here" came a gruff whisper. Grubbs swivelled his eyes to the source of the sound to see Dervish creeping under shadow towards them, an ornamental, silver-plated axe in his tense hand. "It appears we have visitors. Visitors of the unfriendly kind."

"Demons!" hissed Merlin, the sound making Grubbs jump.

"What do they want?" asked Grubbs as the twins swiftly sneaked to Dervish's side. Dervish tossed the boy a black-hilted sword from the wall beside him, which Grubbs caught with trembling fingers.

"I'm not sure…" Dervish trailed off, but his eyes betrayed him. They locked onto Merlin, who had suddenly begun to shake uncontrollably. Grubbs put a comforting arm around her shoulder, and she smiled softly through teeth that chattered against each other. Grubbs was a little alarmed to feel that his sister's flesh had become as cold as a glare of hatred.

"What's the plan?" said Grubbs to his uncle, his stomach lurching. He wasn't an experienced fighter, and true, he was fearsome and unbeatable when thrust into difficult situations. But the word "Demon" was enough to make him want to curl up in a dark corner and moan. All the nightmares of his past mocked him when the foul creatures came too close.

"We're going to have to deal with them," answered Dervish, patting the axe almost affectionately. "They are obviously here for dark purposes, and I very much doubt they'd have a nice chat with us about their business here if we asked politely. So, looks like it's time to kick some demon butt. Are you with me guys?"

The teenagers both nodded. Dervish grunted and tiptoed down the stairs, followed by Merlin with Grubbs at the rear. As they reached the ground floor, they could faintly hear some snuffling and low growling, soft clacking and impatient whines. Dervish peered around the corner than led to the kitchen, and Grubbs braced himself for impact.

But Dervish shook his head and motioned for them to venture further. With a cautious glance, Grubbs saw a soft glow beyond the room that shone through the window, a dull, sickly green that could only come from a window. Dervish edged up to the door, took a deep breathe, and kicked it open and leapt out all in one movement.

Grubbs gritted his teeth and with a hoarse cry followed his uncle, clutching the sword so tight that his knuckles turned white. As he left the house and fell into the frozen night air, battle exploded all around him.

A demon with shaped like a three-headed serpent launched itself at Grubbs, spitting acidic poison. Grubbs tapped into the magic that enveloped his body and turned the poison back around where it sizzled into the eyes of the demon. It wailed but struck at him again, Grubbs slicing off both heads with a deft stroke of his blade. The body writhed for a while before turning to dust.

Before Grubbs could take another breathe, another monster barrelled into him, six rows of teeth filling his vision as he yelled in shock. With a wolfen snarl, he tore the demon in half, purple blood spattering in his face and in his mouth as it ripped like old parchment.

Spitting out the vile blood, Grubbs turned to see Dervish hacking chunks out of a truly gigantic beast that was a hybrid of spider and grizzly bear. It shrieked as Dervish made the twigs from the trees overshadowing the battlefield turn to knives and fall in a deadly volley, piercing eyes, flesh and armoured hide.

Casting around a quick eye, Grubbs swiftly registered about eight or so demons or various type and ugliness scattered around the lime green window that was torn open a few feet away. He was about to look for Merlin, but then a creature made of ice and black rock snapped at him with icicle-shard fangs. Grubbs summoned a cloud of flames to engulf the monster, which melted away to soggy water almost instantly. An arachnid monster lunged at his with venom-coated pincers, and Grubbs leapt 6 feet into the air to dodge the attack. Hovering above the squealing demon, he smashed down on the unfortunate creature, crushing it beneath his magic-enforced feet.

Grubbs panted raggedly and looked around. With a defeated moan, he saw demons flying at him with insanity in their blazing eyes and slobber dripping from eager mouths. He was about to raise his sword when a wail shook the foundations of the earth.

Eerie silence followed. The demons paused in their hellish assault, whimpering in…fear! What was going on?

Grubbs slowly turned to see Merlin silhouetted against the ominous, gaping window, saw her hiss and shudder as she finally began to reveal her true form.

_Sorry to leave you all on a cliff hanger! I'm desperate to get Chapter 7 up right now, but it may take a while. Apologies if the battle sucked, but it's been some time since I've written a decent action scene. Review me please, because I like people that review ^^_


	7. The transformation

_Wahhh!! I'm on a roll here! I can't stop updating this story. Ok, after this chapter, I think I might take a little break from the Demonata, especially when I'm writing three other stories at once! Here we go!_

THE TRANSFORMATION

Grubbs watched on in fear, horror and sick fascination as Merlin's body began to change. Hissing like a wildcat, her form began to stretch and distort like a reflection in a puddle, growing at least 2 feet taller. Her muscles bulged and split the skin at the seams with a sharp squeal, like metal scraping against glass, her bones and joints popping and cracking as they grew to accommodate whatever larger form was trying to tear out of the teenage girl on the exterior.

With a wail of what appeared to be agony, she grabbed fistfuls of her own flesh in her fingers and brutally ripped it off, exposing bloody and painfully taught muscles and tendons. She clawed at her arms, legs, torso, face. The last was the worst, as Grubbs watched her newly formed claws scratch off the layers of flesh and leave a red raw mask of skin streaked with bloodied bone and strings of sinew, her green eyes rolling around wildly in their sockets.

After a few seconds of slashing at her own her own hide, with a shriek something burst forth out of her back: a bat-like wing covered in wet membrane and tipped with an iron hook. Another tore open her other shoulder blade, leaving her with a pair of half-folded, powerful wings.

Groaning, she shed off her skin like a serpent, her outer form sliding off, slippery with blood and sticky white fluid that looked like saliva. Grubbs looked on in wide-eyed disgust at the empty husk that lay at her feet: the Merlin he used to know, but broken and flattened, a mere disguise that hid the true aspect of his sister. She shuddered and turned back to the thing that was Merlin.

A female, humanoid creature stood shaking weakly before the ghostly green window. She was 7 feet tall and slender, but her ribs pressed against her chest and strong muscles bulged out of her limbs. A curtain of crimson hair flowed from her scalp like a fountain of poppies, bold against her new, smooth, silvery skin that glistened in the moonlight like droplets on fish scales. Her fingers and toes tapered down into long talon-like claws, and her red-lipped mouth was full of pristine white fangs. Her wings stretched out behind her like rays of grey light, and she flapped them gently, as if testing to see if they still worked. But what was so startling was that her face had hardly altered at all; she was still recognisable as Merlin Grady.

"Merlin" whispered Grubbs helplessly. Could she hear him, understand him? The demons tensed at the sound of his voice, a low chorus of snarls and chattering breaking out. Dervish had frozen whilst in combat with a goat-like demon, his icy eyes curious and shrewd. He slowly inched his spare hand towards a slender, silver dagger that he had hidden in a secret pocket in his denim jacket, just in case things turned… volatile.

"Merlin" said Grubbs again, almost pleadingly.

Her head snapped up, and a menacing hiss was spat out of her bared teeth. With a scream, she lunged forward, straight towards Grubbs. He closed his eyes and waited for the claws to scrape his face.

He felt a rush of air, and an inhuman wail behind him, followed by a squelch and crunching sound. He prised his eyes open and spun around to see with amazement that Merlin had leapt upon a demon that once stood within reaching distance of him. She had just saved him from a monster that was about to take a chunk out of him!

Suddenly time sped up and the demons flew at Merlin like a moth to a candle, their black hearts full of the desire to kill this strange new creature. Merlin snarled and soared into the cold sky, trying to escape the snapping teeth and globs of venom that fell on her like a volley of arrows. The demons claws' scraped the empty air and they shrieked in annoyance as their quarry evaded their anxious swipes. Wheeling around, she snatched a demon from the pack and carried it into the air, where she set about biting off lumps of Demonata flesh, acidic blood spattering the black sky.

Grubbs shook his head from the spectacle above the tree tops and with a yell edged in battle fury, he loped off the head of a scorpion shaped demon, and then punched another monster's lower jaw, unhinging it in a spray of yellow blood.

After a mad flurry of screams and slashing, human or not, the demons squealed in defeat and fled Cacery Vale via the green window that shuddered at the edges. Merlin swooped down and landed noiselessly beside Grubbs, who was leaning against his blood and sweat soaked blade, gasping. Grubbs turned to face her as the final demon dived in through the portal, but strangely the window remained open, bathing the ginger-haired teenager, grey-bearded man and misshapen, ethereal girl in sharp green light.

"You were bloody amazing!" said Grubbs through pants of exhaustion.

"Why, thank you" she replied, Grubbs jumping slightly to hear her voice was as unchanged as her face.

"Yeah, well done kid" added Dervish with a smile. But the smile didn't reach his eyes, which were observant, restless.

"Dervish?" asked Grubbs, tensing.

"Look out!" he cried as a midnight-black shape barrelled straight into Merlin. With a scream, she fell into the window's embrace, which shuddered and writhed like a dying creature.

"No!" Grubbs yelled, grabbing her ankle just as the window burst into shards of blinding light.

"Grubbs!"

Dervish's scream was the last thing he heard as the window collapsed and he was enveloped in black fog.


	8. The wilderness

_Well, I've had a little break from this story, and now I'm back to business. Hope you enjoy these next few chapters! This one is pretty long too._

THE WILDERNESS 

Grubbs finally came to his senses after a few minutes. He could feel sunlight on his eyelids, trying to tease them open; a warm breeze licking his flesh with humid moisture; and something as cold as death's smile brush his hand, and clutch it with an iron grip.

He tore his eyes open and screamed hoarsely, searching for an escape, forcing his body to move, though it remained as immobile as a beached whale.

"Shh! It's just me!"

The voice was familiar, but it still took a while to register it and process it in his confused and terror-numbed mind.

"Merlin?" he croaked. He blinked hard and slowly opened his eyes again, and saw his sister's face before his own as she crouched beside him, still silvery-skinned and ferocious, but her forehead creased in concern. Searching around, he could see a dappled canopy beyond Merlin's head, streaks of blood red light penetrating a crowd of curling, venom coated leaves. This was obviously no earthly realm. This was demonic.

"Where are we?" he murmured, groaning as he got to his feet.

"I have no idea," replied Merlin as she stood up too, towering above the already tall teenager like a shadowy pillar. "We could be anywhere in this vast universe of the Demonata's. A Demon pushed me through the window," (here she motioned to a black-winged Demon corpse which Grubbs guessed she had killed when they had arrived here) "and you grabbed my ankle just as it closed. You're very fortunate to be alive, Grubbsy. Another second and you'd have left your foot back home. Three more and it would have been your head."

"Thanks for the useful input" said Grubbs drily. He glanced at his foot and saw that his shoe had been severed, and his skin scratched. He shuddered a little, and took a better look around, trying to get his bearings in this ghastly environment.

Trees that grew in contorted shapes that reached for the flaming sky, as if they were being tortured in some slow, sick dance. They stretched on as far as the eye could see, and were so tall that they brushed the thunder-heavy clouds. Vile vines strangled their branches like snakes, and the air was thick with mist and the buzzing of flies and the croak and screech of monstrous creatures that lurked in the shadows.

"This place is horrific" said Grubbs in a broken voice.

"This place is nothing compared to what I've seen…" she trailed off into the past, and Grubbs swore he could see a glittering tear in her startling green eye.

Grubbs wanted to comfort her, pat her back or something, but her twisted appearance prevented him so. Yes, she was his sister, but Grubbs felt that he could not trust her yet. There was something sinister about her. Something…treacherous.

"Why are you still in that form?" asked Grubbs, trying to hide his suspicions.

"I can only take on this aspect when there is magic in the air," she explained. "As much as I would like to, the magic here is preventing me from changing back to a human."

Grubbs nodded knowingly.

"I suppose we'd better try and find a way out of here" suggested Merlin. "How? Where do we start?"

Merlin paused a while before answering. "Let me fly up and see if I can see anything that can help us." Grubbs nodded, and Merlin gathered the wind beneath her wings and shot upwards, smashing a hole in the dense canopy as she spiralled upwards. Grubbs watched her become a silver speck as he was enveloped in sudden crimson light, and he thought he could spot a yellow crescent moon through the blackened sky.

Grubbs suddenly felt very alone, lost, even though his twin was only a few feet above him. The solitude one could feel was amplified a thousand times in the Demonata's realm, and Grubbs wished more than anything that he could sprout some wings of his own and join Merlin.

_But I can_ he thought as it dawned on him. Here, his magical abilities were a lot more powerful than on earth, and with a smile he could feel the magic rushing through his veins in a torrent. He telepathically gathered together the dust and stones that littered the floor, pieced them together and enhanced them with magic, attaching them to his shoulder blades with a soft grunt.

He flapped his new, magical wings, and with an anxious grin, he leapt into the air and flew.

It was perhaps the best thing he'd ever experienced. It was exhilarating to feel the rush of air through your hair, feel the wind against your wings, to soar above the clouds and look down at the world and laugh in delight. With a whoop of excitement, he looped and spiralled and barrel-rolled, having fun despite his gloomy surroundings.

"Stop!" hissed a voice.

Grubbs obliged and was about to turn his head when a hand clamped around his mouth. With a startled, muffled yelp, he squirmed like a worm on a hook. He was suddenly spun around and met the angry yet frightened face of Merlin.

"Be careful, brother dear," she whispered, scanning the skies with fear. "I can smell Demons close by. Try not to draw attention to yourself."

"Sorry," Grubbs apologized, running a hand through his fiery hair. "I should have known."

Merlin shook her head. "Feels great to fly, huh?"

"Hell yeah!" nodded Grubbs enthusiastically.

"At least your wings don't come with a price" she muttered darkly, sorrow in her tone. She looked up, frowned, and then gasped.

"What?!" exclaimed Grubbs, expecting Demons to appear.

"I know this place!" she murmured. "This was where I was…I was…abandoned." The last word was a whisper and ended in a terrified gulp.

Grubbs was about to say something to her when twelve black specks tore out of the sky, wailing as they edged in for the kill.


	9. The flight

_Huzzah! Another chapter! If anyone is wondering why I'm updating so fast, it's because I have a massively long story planned, and I wanna write down as many chapters as possible whilst their still relatively fresh, savvy? Oh yeah! In this chapter, I introduce another original character creation. I hope you like them, as they'll be playing a major part in the chapters to come. And for any Dervish fans, yep he'll turn up after a few chapters, in case anyone's missing him. Now, on with the chapter!_

THE FLIGHT

The dark shapes hurtled forwards with alarming velocity, leaving a trail of black smoke in their wake that tore up the blood-stained sky. As Grubbs examined these Demons with anxious horror, he saw that they resembled giant crows; black-clad carrion birds with murderous crimson eyes that glinted with furry as they stretched open their fang-lined beaks and cawed and screeched like banshees of the skies.

"Get ready for impact!" cried Merlin.

Grubbs was jolted out of his numb stupor, and summoning the fabric of the air, he gathered it in hands until it was as strong as a hurricane and bucked wildly in his grip. As soon as the gigantic crows were close enough to see the flash of moonlight on their claws, Grubbs hurled the wind at the Demons with a fierce yell. The crows carked in surprise and anger as the gale blasted them away and destroyed their feathers.

"Let's go!" called Grubbs, and he sped through the sky with his sister easily matching his flight.

"Where are we going?" she yelled over the rush of air and ferocious shrieks of the carrion birds.

"I don' know exactly. It's like an instinct, I know where to go. Just follow me, and don't fall behind."

"Fall behind!" scoffed Merlin. "Unlikely!"

And suddenly she sped forwards like a bullet shot from a gun, becoming so small so quickly that she was like a grey star in the distance.

"Wait for me!" shouted Grubbs, suddenly engulfed in terror as one bird lunged at his face with its spiked talons.

Merlin appeared from nowhere and with a hiss she grabbed the attacking Demon away from Grubbs and wrestle with it in mid-flight, the pitiful creature torn to feathered shreds in a screech of metallic claws.

""This way!" called Grubbs, hurling a fire ball at another crow, which set alight like a flame to gunpowder. Grubbs glanced down as the smoking corpse fell to the ground which seemed nauseatingly a long way down.

All of a sudden, Grubbs felt a wave of queasiness tug at his insides, his guts wrenched by an invisible force and his ribs excruciatingly being pulled apart as Grubbs screamed. It felt as though a monster was pulling apart his chest, like a paranoid person peeping out of their curtains. Grubbs lost control of his wings, fluttering and bobbing up and down on the wind as he could feel the chillingly familiar growl of the Werewolf rising in him.

_No, not now, anytime but now!_

He tried to quench the beast's fire, but it was like trying to build a sandcastle with an incoming tide. Exhausted, Grubbs couldn't hold onto consciousness, and plummeted from the sky, delighted crows diving after him.

"Grubbs!" screamed Merlin, and she lunged after her falling brother, clenching her teeth in desperation to win the race. Grubbs spiralled out of control, his magical wings returning to dust which increased the speed of is fall. Shoving startled crows out the way, she stretched out her arms and scooped up the teenager just as his hair brushed the canopy of the venomous trees. She pulled sharply upwards, wincing at the pain in her wings in the action. Rising up, she glanced down and saw the demonic birds crash through the leaves and smash into the floor, wailing as their bones shattered.

Merlin let out an enormous sigh of relief, and cradling her brother in her smooth silver arms, she gently shook him awake.

"You ok, Grubbsy?" she whispered tenderly.

"Yeah," he croaked weakly, his voice sounding oddly distorted and gruff. "'S that way" he said, pointing away south.

"What?"

"That way! Now. It's the way out!"

Shrugging, Merlin flew across the unforgiving landscape that was hauntingly recognizable to her. She shuddered and hissed between her fangs as she spotted the boulder she was left at. Left like a neon sign that flashed "Come and eat this defenceless newborn baby before she transforms into a freak and eats you all! Recommended to devour whilst fresh!"

She moaned and sobbed, turning her gaze away.

"Here!" wheezed Grubbs with wide eyes. He looked possessed.

Right on cue, a window blinked into existence. A scarlet one to match the dismal sky. Merlin darted for it, but in her haste she stumbled on the air and fell headlong through the window, bashing her head on something hard on the other side. She rolled to the ground and dropped Grubbs who grunted in pain.

With the breath knocked out of her, she lay on the cold surface for a few seconds. The window shattered, and Merlin was suffocated in a blanket of agony.


	10. The guardian

_I was going to introduce a new character in the previous chapter, but instead, it's gonna be in this one. My many thanks for everyone that has read this far, and if you reviewed, that's even nicer! ^^ _

_Please note that this story is going to be VERY long, at least 30 chapters! _

THE GUARDIAN

Grubbs moaned and opened his eyes, exhausted and hissing in pain as a sharp twinge took over his muscles, making them spasm. Gritting his teeth, he blocked out the fire and looked around.

He appeared to be in a cave, and a large one at that. It was dry underfoot, but there was moisture clinging to the craggy sandstone walls above and he could hear a sot drip and echoing splash further into the cave, deeper into the earth's heart. Stalactites hung above him like poised daggers, stalagmites nearby piercing up from the ground. Some of these melted together to form pillars.

Grubbs shuddered. When he was unconscious, he'd had a bad dream about a cave. It looked just like this, but there was a mighty waterfall that shook the foundations of the earth, and he was there with his half brother Bill-E and his mate from school Loch. As the dream progressed, he had seen Loch suddenly collapse and fall still, a fountain of blood gushing from his head. And then he saw a girl's face in the rock, as if she was made of living stone, and who called to him in a foreign tongue. And then the cave was engulfed in darkness, and with a wolfen howl Grubbs saw himself facing a tendril of pure shadow.

He'd woken up after that. He knew it was a dream, but it was vivid and realistic. Grubbs wondered if it was a vision of sorts.

Grubbs blinked hard, and slowly sat up. He jolted in surprise as he saw orange light thrown across the cave, presumably from a fire. Grubbs looked up and gasped in utter amazement.

Paintings decorated the walls. Primitive yet beautiful cave drawings that showed events from thousands of years gone by. They were far more intricate than he expected. He saw hunters stalking sabre-toothed felines, woolly mammoths grazing in fields, men and women huddled around a fire whilst a shaman performed a spell. But there were also paintings of strange and twisted beasts attacking the people, creatures that laid waste to entire tribes. The Demonata were the bane of humanity even at their birth.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Grubbs turned to see a man standing over him. Frozen to the spot, Grubbs tiled his head upwards to look at the unfamiliar face. He had creamy skin somewhat bronzed by the sunshine, and it was wrinkled around the eyes in smile lines. He was smiling softly now, his thin lips slightly parted to reveal perfect, pristine white teeth. He had curly blonde hair the colour of dark sand, and he had ginger-blonde stubble around his chin. He had profound grey eyes that twinkled slightly, and were openly friendly and compassionate without a trace of a lie. He was fairly tall, and of average build. When he spoke, he had an American accent, but it was underlain with what Grubbs thought was Irish. He wore a blue shirt and dark waistcoat that was a little tattered and dusty, but he managed to keep it fairly neat and orderly, making him appear a business man or a lawyer. At first glance, one might think he was an actor or a detective, but it was obvious there was more to the man than what was seen on the outside.

"Who are you?" asked Grubbs as the man sat down beside him.

"Patrick Steel" introduced the man, holding out a hand which Grubbs shook. Patrick had a strong grip, but not crushingly so. "I'm sure you've heard of the Disciples, yes? Well I'm one of them, and a very old and good friend of Merlin Grady, your sister."

Grubbs wracked his brains for a moment before it hit him. "You're the man she spoke of, her guardian. The one who looked after her as a kid?"

"Right you are, Grubitsch," Patrick replied. "Hey, can I call you Grubbs? It's easier."

"Sure. I really don't like my name." Grubbs paused before asking. "Where's Merlin? And what is this place?"

"Merlin is over there, asleep" answered Patrick, motioning to the girl who lay beside the fire, a small frown on her sleeping face; a face that was no fully human. "Best not disturb her. She just changed back and needs to regain her strength, poor thing.

"As for this place, you'll be glad to know you're back in the human universe. This is under the Alps, and it has no real name. I would like to think of it as a secret, underground base, like in those spy movies, but it's basically just a cave used to stop and rest or a stepping stone to get from place to place."

Grubbs had taken a liking to this man immediately. He felt he could trust him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be cautious.

"Patrick?" asked Grubbs tentatively after a dry swallow. "As her guardian, I thought you would know if… what exactly is Merlin?"

Patrick didn't answer for a while, his smile vanishing and becoming a thin line of worry. He sighed and said "Follow me."

Grubbs stood up and trailed after Patrick, who led him across the cave to the far wall. The light of the fire barely brushed the stone, but Grubbs could still clearly make out what Patrick was showing him.

Before him was a picture of a tall, winged woman with ochre red hair. She was shown attacking an enormous demon made up of a thousand tendrils of fire, whilst shamans aided her attack and villagers watched on from afar.

"This creature here," explained Patrick, tapping the winged woman. "They go under many names in various tales. They are often mistaken for vampires, but they are nothing like them. People nowadays would refer to them as Harpies, creatures used in Greek legends that were half-bird half-human. But their true name is _Angelus Atra_, or _Atralegus_ if you merge the two together."

"Angles?" whispered Grubbs, catching a word similar to English.

"Dark Angels, apparently," continued Patrick. "Neither angel or Demon, caught in between Light and Darkness. Very useful if you're facing Demon invasion, as the only thing that can harm _Atralegus _is a dagger of pure silver. But even then that is not enough, as they would need to be chained up and thrown into the ocean." Patrick paused.

"The origins of _Atralegus_ are murky. Many Disciples say Demons and humans once bred to form this new being. From then, these creatures are born in a family every now and again, a curse upon humanity, but also a blessing. For you see, Dark Angels can decide to be good or bad. We are very fortunate that Merlin chose to be good."

He glanced over to the girl and looked at her with paternal concern, flickers of love lighting up his eyes.

"Although sometimes she can seem evil," whispered Patrick. "and can do dark deeds, her actions are always attuned to Light. Remember that, Grubbs."

_Pretty good, huh?! I hope you like Patrick, he was fun to write about. Atralegus is pronounced AH-trel-EH-jus, and is formed literally from Latin "Dark Angels". _


	11. The window

_Disclaimer: The only thing I own is my two original characters. Apart from that, everything else belongs to the amazing Darren Shan._

_PLEASE NOTE: I've decided to play this story along the lines of Darren Shan's Bloodbeast, but I'm adding my own stuff, and twisting the plot to fit my own story. Basically, it's Bloodbeast with my own story woven into it. Kapiesh? _

THE WINDOW

Merlin finally awoke after another hour or so. Grubbs and Patrick were sitting beside the fire talking about their past experiences when Merlin's eyes split open and a hoarse gasp tore from her lips. The teenager and the man both turned to look at her, rushing to her side at the same time. Grubbs noted that her eyes still held an inhuman sheen and her jagged fangs were still changing into her normal teeth.

She groaned and said "Am I normal?"

"As normal as you're going to get" teased Patrick.

"Pat?" she mumbled happily, then turning her head around, "Where's Grubbs?"

"Right here, sis," replied Grubbs. "Are you alright?"

"I think so…Where am I? The cave?"

Patrick nodded. "You stay here and rest, and once you're fully healed I'll take you two back home."

Merlin looked like she was going to say something, but she glanced at Grubbs then slowly shut her mouth. She nodded in agreement, but her eyes were sad.

"Where abouts to you live?" he asked Grubbs. Grubbs gave him the address, and Patrick nodded. "Good. I'll start making the window now, but it might be a while. This cave has some magical qualities, but that doesn't mean it won't be hard."

"Do you want some help?" blurted out Grubbs before he could stop it. After the chaos of the Slawter film set, Grubbs had the horrible suspicion that he wasn't just a mage. He knew his abilities were stretched far beyond the more powerful Disciples, and he didn't need to have access to a source of magic to use his talents. In secret without Dervish's knowledge, he'd tested out his magical skills: flicking light switches on and off with his mind, drawing objects closer to him, crushing items made of steel.

But sometimes he'd been unable to control his magic, like occasionally waking up from nightmares hovering two feet off his bed. That had been quite a shock, and every time that happened he would roll over and slam down onto the floor. He sincerely hoped his powers would grow so strong that he was unable to use them, that they'd be wild and unpredictable, that he's accidently hurt someone. He wanted to confide in someone that he believed he was becoming a magician, but fear prevented him. Cowardly, he knew, but that was him. Grubbs Grady the coward.

"Er, no I think I'll manage fine" answered Patrick confused. He turned to face an empty patch of air, but leapt back in alarm when coloured light suddenly flashed in front of him.

Merlin got to her feet besides Grubbs as they watched the window grow in size and brightness, turquoise light battling the orange flickers of the fire. Patrick stepped back as someone smashed through the window and collapsed at his feet.

"Melissa Evans?" said Patrick.

"Patrick Steel, yes?" replied the woman called Melissa in a hasty, worried tone. She was short and plump, but still quite pretty, like a fresh peach. But her face was sweaty and drawn out, her dark eyes wide as she panted in fatigue.

"Yeah, that's me. What's wrong?"

"Help me! Please!" she begged. "I just managed to open this window back to the human universe, but my friends are still battling the Demons on the other side. Please help me!"

"Calm down," said Patrick softly, flashing a brilliant smile which didn't reach his serious eyes. "I'll help you. Grubbs, Merlin stay here."

"No!" Merlin protested.

"Let us come with you!" retorted Grubbs.

"I'll just be a moment. Merlin is too weak to fight, and I need someone to look after her. I promise I won't take long." His voice was genuine and determined, his grey eyes gleaming like silver.

"Thank you!" sobbed Melissa. She slowly got to her feet, took a deep breathe, and walked through the window. Patrick smiled at the siblings and walked in after the woman.

There was a two second silence before Grubbs said "Shall we follow him?"

"Yeah," answered Merlin. "Someone's gotta watch his back."

They stepped forwards together and were inches from the turquoise window before-

"ARGH!"

The scream was distorted and blurred, but it came from the other side of the window and sounded familiar.

"Pat!" screamed Merlin.

She was about to throw herself after he guardian, but there was a whip-like crack and the window disintegrated.

"NO!" Even though the window was gone, she launched herself forwards, moaning. Grubbs grabbed hold of her torso and held her back and she writhed in his strong grip.

"Let me go!"

"Merlin, he's gone."

"_Let me go!_" she hissed menacingly, her teeth sharpening into fangs.

"Merlin! Stop it!"

She stopped struggling and flopped lifelessly, Grubbs releasing his hold on her. She fell to the floor and sobbed loudly, digging her fingers into the damp earth.

"We'll find him somehow," sighed Grubbs. "I don't really know how, but we will."

Grubbs could feel something tickling his back, like a cold breeze. He turned in puzzlement, then yelped as another window opened up over him and he was engulfed in a stream of coloured lights.


	12. The return

_Here's the next chapter, and sorry if it took forever to update. The last part of this chapter is from the book, but the words are slightly altered._

THE RETURN

Grubbs felt the breath knocked out of him as he slammed against a hard, wooden floor, and heard a faint grunt from Merlin landing beside him. He could see a golden window hovering inches above his head, a cold breeze issuing out of it tickling his nose. With a soft snap, the window disintegrated and returned to nothingness.

Grubbs lay sprawled on his back, breathing hard.

"Grubbs?" came a stunned, hoarse voice, a voice he recognised instantly, the familiarity sweeter than honey.

"Dervish!" Grubbs cried, leaping up at once and running into his uncle's open arms. Dervish ruffled his ginger hair and chuckled.

"I thought the worse had happened to you, Grubbs." He looked up and glanced over Grubbs' shoulder, and his face broke out into a soft smile and he added "And you, Merlin, dear Come here."

Merlin's gloomy expression brightened at once and she joined the two of them. "Group hug!" she said, and they all laughed.

Grubbs was home! The feeling was warm and relaxed, and he relished taking in the furniture and architecture of the house his eyes usually passed over without appreciation. He took the ordinariness of life for granted sometimes, and only after battling Demon is hellish parallel worlds did he fully understand how lucky he was to live in a Demon-free universe.

A few hours later, after a good meal and wash, Grubbs, with Merlin sitting subdued beside him, was explaining to Dervish what had happened in his absence. At the part when Patrick was tricked into passing through a window, Merlin muttered something like "I'm tired, I'm turning in early", even though it was only 6pm, and she'd already had hours of sleep the previous day.

As Merlin trudged up the stairs, one miserable step at a time, Grubbs whispered anxiously to Dervish "D'you think she's gonna be OK?"

"In time," Dervish replied. "I know of Patrick Steel. Used to be an archaeologist or something before he realised he had magical abilities and joined the Disciples." Grubbs never thought Patrick had been an archaeologist once upon a time, not in that neat suit and immaculate hair and teeth.

"Only met him once or twice, only a few years back" continued Dervish. "But he's a good bloke. Shame, to lose him."

"But he might not be dead," suggested Grubbs. "He could-hang on." A dark realisation dawned upon him. "If you only met him a few years back, and you knew what Merlin was, does that mean that," Grubbs gulped drily. "That Patrick told you I had a sister, and you never thought to tell me!?"

"That's not true," his uncle shot back. "Well, it is, but," he added hastily and raising a hand before Grubbs could shout something at him "there's a reason why I couldn't tell you."

"And why's that?" said Grubbs through gritted teeth.

Dervish sighed and said quietly "For all these years, up to a few months ago, Merlin wasn't exactly, er, what you would call civilised."

He paused at Grubbs' confused face.

"Let me elaborate. Most of the time, she was feral, wild, almost demonic. If she encountered a human, whether she was transformed or not, she would surely tear them to pieces. Of course, she would have regretted it later when she regained her mind. Patrick met me a couple of weeks before you moved in with me. He told me about that your sister was still alive, that he saved her from her kidnappers and an early death, and how ferocious she was."

"But how come Patrick was able to go near her for about fourteen years?" snapped Grubbs.

"Patrick has a rare talent," explained Dervish. "He has a way of taming wild animals-"

"Merlin is not an animal" Grubbs hissed protectively.

"I know, I know, but that was how it was. Anyway, Merlin was less inclined to attack him whenever she had one of her mood swings, but that didn't mean he didn't get hurt."

"I guess I see now" said Grubbs glumly. It must have been horrible, weaving in and out of insanity. But Grubbs was still feeling hot-headed and sad that all the time he'd lived with Dervish, he never told him. Grubbs suddenly had the urge to speak to his half-brother, Bill-E. He needed someone close to talk to, someone else who could understand the family and the Demonata. But before he could ask Dervish whether Bill-E was around, his uncle interrupted him.

"Meera's heading off for pastures distant, might not be back this way for several months, and I want to say goodbye in style."

"In style?" smirked Grubbs, his rage draining away at the mention of Meera. "Are you and Meera finally going to get it on?"

"Don't be ridiculous, we're just friends. You know that."

"That's what you always tell me…"

"Well," his uncle huffed. "It's true. I've never made a pass at her and I don't intend to start now."

"Why not?" asked Grubbs, his interest sparked.

"Grubbs" he says softly whilst taking on a strange expression. "Remember when I told you that your das was Bill-E's dad too?"

"Yes?" Grubbs says slowly.

"What I didn't tell you was that your mother…well, Meera…"

Grubbs gawps at the man with his jaw almost reaching the floor. Then a sly grins curls across Dervish's face, and Grubbs roared "You son of a jackal!" and aiming a swat at his head.

"I don't want to lay it on heavy, but I've got something to tell you and I want you to pay attention."

"Now what?" said Grubbs with a moan.

"This house has already been wrecked once already, I don't want it destroyed again. I don't want it destroyed again. Keep your freakish little friends as under as much control as possible. A certain amount of wear and tear is unavoidable, I accept that, but they'll only run wild if you let them. Lay down the law and they won't cause too much damage. And for heaven's sake, don't let them into my study. Remember that it's guarded by spells, so if anyone wanders in uninvited…"

"What are you blabbering on about?" demanded Grubbs.

"You're a bit slow today aren't you?" said Dervish with a frown. "I'm going away." He tapped Grubbs on the forehead. ""You'll have the house to yourself (second rap), it's the weekend (a final, harder rap)."

Then it struck him like a hammer hitting a nail.

"Paarrttteee!!!" the two of them chorused.

"Brilliant" Merlin muttered darkly from her bedroom, where she had heard every word of their conversation.


	13. The party

_Whoo! The next chapter is up! Sorry it took so long. Gasp! Chapter 13! Unlucky? Only if you guys don't review :D Oh yeah, most of this will be like the actual chapter in the book, but I'm writing it my own way, plus there's a bit of originality too ;)_

THE PARTY

It's 6pm and the guests are beginning to arrive, though Grubbs originally planned it to start at 7. At first, Grubbs felt a little nervous, as even though he's been left home alone before, this is the first party he'd ever hosted. He was nervous about whether he was doing it all right and if the mates he'd invited were having a good time or not, but eventually he relaxed as the party escalates, and the buzz of voices and laughter chasing away the tension. A couple of people invited themselves, but Grubbs knew he'd been a sour-patch if he told them to beat it; it would ruin the heightened, raving, care-free atmosphere.

People drink in the mansion's decor with eager curiosity, asking Grubbs about the bloodthirsty history surrounding the adventurous Grady family. He exaggerated on some of the details, and missed out others, including the fact that most of the members in the aged portraits looked so young because they had transformed into ravenous, slobbering beasts.

One part of the tour he had to miss out was the room that Merlin had locked herself in. Beyond the wood, all was silent. Perhaps a little too silent. He thought about checking in on her when he had a spare moment. Grubbs shook his head as he led a giggling group of girls past the bedroom as he remembered the conversation they'd had just after Dervish had revved up his bike and left.

"What do you mean, you're not joining the party?" Grubbs had frowned as his bristling sister had stomped up the stairs.

"I'm really not the partying type" she had muttered.

"There's no need to be so anti-social," he replied when they reached the second floor corridor. "C'mon! It will be fun."

She spun around and faced him with a miserably fierce expression. "I don't share the same idea of fun as you, Grubbs" she had said in a monotonous murmur, before roughly slamming the door in his face. Grubbs scowled and kicked the polished wood, denting it.

Bill-E arrived at about 8, his round chubby face flushed red and eyes glinting with the joy of being able to merit an invitation. Even Loch's taunts and teasing can't get to him when he's finally having some fun, finally being himself.

There was one terrifying moment for Grubbs halfway through the night. He suddenly felt a wave of nausea grip him by the stomach, tugging at his guts and the world spun sickeningly, dizzyingly. Reni, splendid Reni, was there to help when it began, and for one heart-aching moment he thought it might have been there first kiss, there in the kitchen separate from the noise and chaos. But unfortunately for him, it wasn't to be, or at least not yet. Once he caught sight of the bloated, pallid full moon leering at him through the window, he feared the worst and rushed to Dervish's study to ride out the pain and terror. But the first initial panic slowly faded away when he realised that he retained his normal appearance, a human mind. His thoughts flickered briefly to Merlin, and felt a pang of pity for his sister. For years she would have had to endure this constant worry that she was losing her human nature.

If he really was changing into a werewolf, he would have done so after a gradual process. He'd seen Bill-E's first transfiguration to a wolfen, almost unrecognisably human monster, known that the change takes place after a couple of weeks or months. He dismissed the sickness as someone spiking the drinks, or perhaps it was just him feeling ill. He shrugged off the fear and rejoined the party downstairs.

The night flew by in a blur f flashing lights and a booming din, before eventually slowing down into a sleepy, half-hearted party. Obsidian midnight came and went. People began to get tired and headed home to bed, either walking or cycling back or being picked up by parents. Some stayed over to help clear up the next day, a few of them not part of the original decided group, but Grubbs let them stay anyway. Dervish had specifically said just boys, but the girls stayed anyway; where was the harm in that? What Dervish didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"You guys wanna know where you're sleeping?" asked Grubbs when the sky was as dark and cold as the depths of an icy ocean. He was feeling tense and sick once more, his skull being beaten with little pickaxes of pain, wanting to get the party over and done with.

"Screw sleep!" said Frank with a laugh, holding out an empty glass bottle with a flourish. "Time for spin-the-bottle!"

There were half-hearted moans, but everyone joined in, not wanting to miss out of the action. Or at least, everyone except for one person.

At that moment, Merlin padded noiselessly into the longue that was littered with wrappers and drink stains. She stood in the doorway hidden in a veil of shadow. When she spoke, everyone jumped, and one girl squeaked in alarm.

"Can I join?" she said, eagerness and sorrow blended into one confusing expression.

"Who are you?" demanded Loch, eyeing the strange newcomer.

"Er, she's a distant cousin of mine," said Grubbs in a stammer, improvising on the spot. "She came yesterday but she, erm, felt sick earlier and didn't want to join the party. Yeah, that's it."

Bill-E glanced at him, a dark eyebrow raised quizzically. Grubbs threw him what he hoped was an "I'll-explain-later" stare, and then waved Merlin over.

But she shook her head. "I'd rather watch, rather than participate, but thanks for the offer."

The group of friends exchanged looks of concern and a few snorted and grumbled darkly, but they all decided silently as one that they were better off without this weird girl involved. She went and sat cross-legged on a couch, perched like an inquisitive yet cautious raven.

"So, how's this going to work out, people?" resumed Grubbs, as if nothing had happened.

"We take it in turns to spin," explained Frank as they sat on the floor in a circle. "When it lands on the opposite sex, well, you go for it!"

The teenagers laughed, but Grubbs shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to share his kisses with Reni with the others.

"Only simple kisses though, unless you and the other doesn't mind going further" adds Mary, the other girls nodding in agreement.

The game begun with Bill-E and Reni first round, and Grubbs held his breathe as they leaned in closer. He let it out in a long sign of relief that was thankfully unnoticed by everyone else who were too focussed on where the sparkling bottle was going to strike next. There are laughs and wolf-whistles and embarrassed blushing, and it was particularly funny when two boys had to snog each other. Eventually, Grubbs and Reni were fated to kiss, and his palms became sweaty and he gulped. Reni smiled shakily, and Grubbs returned the grin.

Their kiss was perhaps the deepest of the night. With arms locked around each other in a loose yet firm embrace and lips pressed softly against each other, egged on by cheers and whistled from the giggling and hooting onlookers, a warm, hypnotic fire streamed through Grubbs' veins, soothing and fiery at once. He couldn't believe that before he felt anxious and he delighted in the simplicity of showing his feelings towards the girl he'd taken a shine to for so long. The flames tickled every inch of his skin as the spell was woven in a blissful heat, and he drowned in the thrill of it. He hoped Reni was feeling the same.

Then, gasps and cries shatter the dream like a hammer through glass.

Grubbs reluctantly cracked open his right eye, which widened when he watches the glass bottle spinning with a soft whir, hovering off the ground on some invisible threads; a translucent puppet, a low-whistling gleaming cylinder.

Reni sense trouble and pulls her lips apart from Grubbs' in an almost audible snap, and she froze when she stared in a trance-like state and the twirling bottle.

Bill-E stared at it intently, as if waiting for it to do something else, preparing for what was going to happen next. Merlin sits upright with every muscle tensed, eye smouldering in the gloom. At first, Grubbs thought either one of them was up to something, controlling the bottle as a cruel hoax or an uncontrollable mistake. But with a jolt of horror than turns his blood to ice, he realised it was him. He was doing this!

The bottle picked up speed and spun so fast it was a silver blur. Grubbs' eyes were locked onto the glass, unable to drag them away. He could hear panicked voices, but they seemed as if they were coming from underwater, muffled by a wall of steel.

With a sharp bang like a gun-shot, it explodes in a burning burst, people gasping and shielding their faces. Grubbs quickly and instinctively barked a magical command, and the shard pause as if turned to ice, inches from the ashen faces of the guests.

"Grubbs, do you know what's happening?" Reni whispered at Grubbs' side.

There's a moment of silence as people turn their gaze from the immobile splinters that subtly twirl in mid-air.

"Yes" Grubbs smiles, pulling up a sly mask. He waved a hand casually, and the glass transforms before their eyes into silvery, glittering petals and butterflies, fluttering elegantly and flashing in the dull moonlight. There are "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd as their fear swiftly dissolves into excitement and awe. Grubbs gently pulls a petal form the cool air and presents it to Reni with a grin and bow. "For you, my lady."

She flutters her eyelids and blushes, clasping the petal to her chest. The glass spirals slowly and calmly to the floor, like feathers twirling in a graceful dance. The crowd cheers and clasp in a thunder of noise that is as loud as an earthquake after the choking silence.

Grubbs grins weakly, but then gulps as a hand drags him away. Next moment, he's in the kitchen and is face to face with a fierce and frightened sister.

"Explain. Now."

_Huzzah! Darn, that wasn't so good, I'm well out of practice! But reviews, equal love! :D_


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